Hudson Valley Community College scholars Paul Culpepper of Albany and Tanya DeMaria of Ballston Spa recently were honored with the Chancellor's Award for Student Excellence. Robert King, chancellor of the State University of New York, presented the awards.

Culpepper, who will graduate from Hudson Valley in May, is the president of the college's Student Senate. A Computer Information Systems major, he was named to the "Who's Who Among Students in American Junior Colleges" list and he has achieved a 3.64 grade point average. He also is an active community volunteer - Culpepper received a certificate of appreciation for volunteer services from the State of New York-Mt. McGregor Correction Facility - and he is a member of Phi Theta Kappa, an international academic honor society for two-year colleges.

DeMaria will graduate from Hudson Valley in May with a Dental Hygiene degree. A member of Phi Theta Kappa, an international academic honor society for two-year colleges, DeMaria was named to the "Who's Who Among Students in American Junior College's" list. She has served as president and vice president of the Students of American Dental Hygiene Association, and she was presented with the Verna Thornhill Meeker Community Service Scholarship in 2002, which recognizes community service.

The Chancellor's Award for Excellence honors State University students who have received local, state, national or international recognition for excellence, and who have demonstrated outstanding academic achievement.

Founded in 1953, Hudson Valley Community College offers more than 50 degree and certification programs in four academic divisions: Liberal Arts and Sciences; Engineering and Industrial Technologies; Health Sciences; and Business; as well as programs run through the Educational Opportunity Center offering certification programs in workforce and academic preparation. One of 30 community colleges in the State University of New York system, it has an enrollment of more than 11,000 students, and it is known as a leader in distance learning initiatives and worker retraining. Hudson Valley has graduated more than 55,000 students.